Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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104.To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the projected spend by the SEAI in 2024 on the solar electricity grant; how much was budgeted for this scheme in 2024; the spend in 2023; the number of projects supported; the amount expected to be available in 2024; the number of installations projected for 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33007/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Domestic Solar PV grant scheme under the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. The scheme came into operation in February 2022 and built on the success of the previous pilot version of the grant scheme.

The scheme has gone from strength to strength since its launch, with over 10,000 applicants supported in 2022, at a cost of over €24.4 million and a total installed capacity of 46.5MW.

2023 proved even more successful, with domestic solar installation further supported by the Government decision to apply a zero percent VAT rate for the ‘Supply and installation of solar panels on domestic premises’ from 1 May.

The Domestic Solar PV grant was allocated €29.4m in Budget 2023, which was projected to support an installed capacity of 55.6MW in 12,500 homes. However, by the end of 2023, a total of 22,214 households had received grant supports, to the value of €52.2m.

This high level of demand has continued into 2024, when it is expected that up to 29,000 households will be supported, to the value of over €65 million.

My department is currently conducting discussions with the relevant stakeholders on resources that will be required in 2025 but demand is expected to be in line with 2024.

A summary of the Domestic Solar PV grant figures are provided in the table below: